1. Higher Education Branch Department of Education 13 November 2007
Presentation to the Portfolio Committee for Education – National Assembly
Higher Education Branch
Department of Education
13 November 2007
3 May 2019

2. Levers for Change
Previous update on 20 February 2007 on HE restructuring
White Paper 3
Planning
Funding
Quality
Improved Access, Equity and Quality
October 2007 – Quality report by the CHE
November 2007 – Planning and Funding
3 May 2019

3. Higher Education Planning
The Minister of Education has recently concluded the student enrolment and output planning process for the period to 2010.
The planning parameters included:
The HE system must contribute to national HRD and research priorities.
Attention must be paid to the need to increase the enrolment and graduate output of scarce and critical skills.
Enrolments must be matched to available resources, physical, human and financial.
Institutions must focus on improving graduation and success rates.
A differentiated approach to enrolment planning must be adopted.
3 May 2019

4. Higher Education Planning
All institutions provided plans which proposed targets for enrolments and student outputs.
Individual institutions have been set unique enrolment and output targets which include success rates, graduation rates and minimum numbers of graduates.
All institutions are expected to operate within these approved parameters.
3 May 2019

5. Higher Education Planning
The Department of Education will monitor, on an annual basis, the performance of institutions relative to their input and output targets.
Appropriate steps will be taken if an institution’s performance indicates that it will not meet its targets.
In terms of the enrolment planning for this period, the output levels of the system are scheduled to improve.
3 May 2019

6. Higher Education Planning
Head Count: Target of students by more than 2005, average annual growth of 2.1% pa.
Enrolment Shape: SET from 29% to 30% ( ). B&M from 29% to 33% ( ) HUM from 42% to 37% ( ) by NPHE 25:25:49 to 30:30:40
Student outputs: Average success rates to improve from 71% to at least 77% thus increase graduates from to
Postgraduate Study: Increased enrolments and graduates in Masters and Doctoral degrees. Doctoral graduates from to 1 700, 42% by 2010.
Participation Rates: Participation rate from 16% to 17.5% in 2010.
3 May 2019

7. Higher Education Academic Policy
Minister of Education Gazetted the HE Qualifications Framework in Sep 2007
Policy to guide development of programmes and qualifications.
Implementation – 1 January 2009 – Coincide with introduction of NSC
Defines the purposes and characteristics of all higher education qualifications
3 May 2019

8. Financial support to HE in 2007
MTEF allocations for 2007/08: Rand millions
Funding category
Allocation
Increase from 2006/07
Block grants (including teaching & research development grants)
10 689
7.36%
Earmarked grants
1 768
43.61%
NSFAS
1 113
20.11%
Interest & redemption on approved loans 85
-14.95%
Foundation programmes
114
9.09%
Improving institutional infrastructure & output efficiencies
445
(partly new funding)
African Institute for Mathematical Studies 3
(new funding)
Clinical training for health professionals 8
Institutional restructuring
600
5.63%
Total MTEF allocation
13 057
11.07%
3 May 2019

9. Student Financial Support
NSFAS
The value of the fund R 1,38 billion (2006). Increase by R122 million (2008) and R304 million (2009).
The number of awards made 7,240 (1991) to 124,708 (2006).
The total number of students supported to date is 479,589.
Recovered funds R14 million (1999) to R341 million (2007).
The Fundisa Fund launched as a complementary fund to the National Student Financial Aid Scheme.
3 May 2019

10. 3 May 2019

11. The Fundisa Fund
Three year pilot in partnership with the Association of Collective Investments (ACI) and NSFAS
Savings account for study of an accredited qualification at either a public college or a university.
A bonus paid (R600 pa) for saving of R2400. Bonus funds only paid to educational institution.
Beneficiaries must be citizens, but any person with an ID can open an account on behalf of a prospective student
Nominated beneficiaries may be changed
Minimum investment R40 pm, invested in income unit trusts
3 May 2019

12. Financial support to HE – General and Specific
National Treasury has since 2002/03 made funds available for the restructuring of the HE system
The total for 2002/03 to 2006/07 was R2 098 million, and that for 2007/08 to 2009/10 is projected as R3 856 million.
Total Allocation to HE Institutions above Subsidy Rands Millions
2002/3 to 2006/7
2007/8 to 2009/10
Total
Restructuring funds
1960
1219
3179
Unallocated subsidy 2006/7
138
New funds from National Treasury
2637
TOTAL
2098
3856
5954
3 May 2019

13. Financial Support for Strategic Interventions
Institutional needs and priorities in the context of a approved and differentiated enrolment planning framework.
Previous allocations to institutions and support for strategic priorities
Increased enrolment and graduates esp in scarce and critical skills and enhancing quality of educational delivery.
INFRASTRUCTURE & EFFICIENCY FUNDS FOR MTEF 2007/08 TO 2009/10: RANDS MILLIONS
Funds for increasing graduates in professional undergraduate programmes in engineering
439
12%
Funds for increasing graduates in other science and engineering programmes. Including health sciences
783
22%
Funds for refurbishing teaching/learning facilities and for improving quality of teaching services
2108
59%
Still to be allocated
248 7%
TOTAL
3578
100%
3 May 2019

14. Disbursement of funds
Institutions informed of total allocation per year in March 2007
Funds transferred after approval of infrastructure development plan.
Plans to be submitted to the Minister by 31 July 2007
Plans must give the time lines for the implementation of the projects and must include substantive cost estimates.
Should the cost of plans exceed the allocation made, institutions must indicate how they will make up any differences between total costs and the Department's allocations.
Payments will only be made after the Department is satisfied that the proposed projects will meet the purposes for which funds have been allocated, and that they are affordable within the context of your institution's overall finances.
The Department will provide support to institutions for development and or implementation of plans.
3 May 2019

15. Examples of institutional projects
Increasing enrolments and graduate outputs in scarce and critical skills e.g. Science Engineering and Technology, Built Environment, Accountants & Actuaries
UCT, Wits, Pretoria, Western Cape, Stellenbosch, Kwazulu-Natal
Improving quality of teaching and learning infrastructure and quality of life of students
Venda, Walter Sisulu, UNISA, Tshwane, North West, Limpopo, Johannesburg, Central and Nelson Mandela
Establishing new institutional foot prints
Fort Hare, Zululand
3 May 2019

16. University of Venda “Under Construction”
3 May 2019 1

17. Three “construction” projects
Recovery Plan - R159.7m in 2006
Major renovation of buildings & upgrading ITC infrastructure, & management systems (e.g. internal audit, budgeting, performance management, institutional planning)
Increasing the “carrying capacity”
R207m in Campus built for students with current enrolment of
Converting to a “Comprehensive” University”
R42m in 2007 for restructuring the academic shape of the University
3 May 2019

18. Planning within “Windows of Opportunity”
WOO 2
Advertise for EOI
WOO 1
WOO 3
(Students off campus during each WOO)
Register of contractors
WOO 1 projects
WOO 2 projects
WOO 1 projects
WOO 1 SOW’s
WOO 2 SOW’s
WOO 1 SOW’s
Issue doc’s
Issue doc’s
Issue doc’s
Evaluate responses
Evaluate responses
Evaluate responses
Develop rec’s
Develop rec’s
Develop rec’s
Obtain approvals
Obtain approvals
Obtain approvals
Appoint contractors
Appoint contractors
Appoint contractors
WOO 1 Projects
WOO 2 Projects
WOO 3 Projects
Develop process for financial reporting
Finalise WOO1 projects, snags & payments
Finalise WOO2 projects, snags & payments
Finalise WOO3 projects, snags & payments
Finalise project documentation & payments
Interim Financial report
Finalise project documentation & payments
Interim Financial report
Finalise project documentation & payments
Final Financial report
Infrastructure Projects (Services, Fire Protection, Grounds, etc.)
Develop and support Occupational Health and Safety programme to ensure compliance
Sept 06
Oct 06
Nov 06
Dec 06
Jan 07
Feb 07
Mar 07
Apr 07
May 07
Jun 07
Jul 07
Aug 07
Sep 07
Oct 07
Nov 07
Dec 07
Jan 08
Feb 08
Mar 08
3 May 2019

19. Six New Student Residences
Each pre-fabricated residence can accommodate 63 students
August: 6 Residences completed
Mid April: Residence 1 at roof height
End April: Residence 1 nearing completion
3 May 2019

20. Key achievements Backlog Maintenance
Seating capacities in some lecture theatres has been increased by more than 43%
11 student residences have been fully refurbished. Fans, study lamps, new mattresses and some new beds have been provided
6 new pre-fabricated student residences have been completed, providing addition accommodation for 378 students
Access control policy for the residences has been agreed and work is underway to fence clusters of residences and implement the system
9 Academic buildings have been fully refurbished and the science laboratories are currently being renovated by a specialist contractor
The library has been refurbished and now has a fully operational fire protection system
A new comprehensive waste management system has been implemented
To date contracts have been awarded to 52 companies of which 41 are from the Limpopo region
3 May 2019

21. Key achievements
ICT
Replaced 65% of staff PCs with Pentium 4 machines (311) and staff training is underway
Installed 440 new Pentium 4 machines in student laboratories
New ICT 2 student laboratory completed providing 200 new workstations
Existing computer laboratories upgraded
Education (ICT1) workstations
Environmental Sciences workstations
Agriculture workstations
URP Labs workstations
Science workstations
Human Sciences Post Grad 30 workstations
All buildings on campus now connected to the backbone of the network and can now operate at 1Gbps (previously at 10 Mbps)
3 May 2019

22. Renovation of Academic Facilities
Lecture Theatres
Before
After
3 May 2019

23. Renovation of student residences
Before
After
3 May 2019

24. Refurbishment of academic buildings
Humanities Buildings (Offices, Lecture Theatres and IT Laboratories) after refurbishment
3 May 2019

25. Campus “carrying capacity”
Campus built for 5500 students in 1982
11600 headcount student enrolment today.
Approved enrolment target of headcount by 2010
Four new buildings planned:
new Lecture Theatre Complex
new Science Building;
new Student Admin
reconfiguration of University Library
plus campus reconfiguration
3 May 2019

26. Converting to a Comprehensive University
Size: students until 2010
Shape: Postgraduate %
Undergraduate 77%
Diploma 15%
Management Sciences 22%
Sciences 28%
Education 16%
Humanities & Law 34%
3 May 2019